


Not All Heroes Wear Capes

by ashtraythief



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Blow Jobs, Flirting, M/M, Minor Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:09:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28465842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashtraythief/pseuds/ashtraythief
Summary: Five times Uber driver Jensen picks up an injured Jared in the bad part of town and one time Jared picks up Jensen (still in Jensen’s Uber, still in the bad part of town and still injured, but with a happy ending).
Relationships: Jensen Ackles/Jared Padalecki
Comments: 40
Kudos: 221
Collections: 2020 Supernatural & CWRPF Holiday Exchange





	Not All Heroes Wear Capes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [brokenhighways](https://archiveofourown.org/users/brokenhighways/gifts).



> Dear brokenhighways, me again 😬 Happy (belated) holidays! I’m so sorry that I am once again late. But it’s a tradition at this point, right? *sweats* I had lots of fun writing for your prompts again and doing something new. So instead of athletes in space, have some superheroes in college! And since third time’s the charm and I did promise last time, I’m finally attempting chair sex. Sort of anyway. Yay? 
> 
> I hope you had a good Christmas despite the whole plague mess and that you’ll enjoy my humble offering. Happy New Year!
> 
> Many, many thanks to Z for brainstorming a rough idea into a five times fic, to Amy for being the best bad news beta, and to ilikaicalie for last minute betaing. You guys are the real heroes.
> 
> Flowers and hearts to the amazingly patient mods for running this challenge during the plague year.
> 
> All remaining errors and inconsistencies are the fault of 2020.

**ONE**

The first time Jensen picks him up, he looks fine. Both in the he’s fine and unharmed kind of way, which is good considering that they’re in the shady part in town, and the _damn, he’s fine_ kind of way. Jensen doesn’t make it a habit to flirt with his customers—he’s not a creep, thank you very much—but he can’t help notice the floppy brown hair and the cute nose and the wide mouth.

And for a kid—his rider can’t be older than twenty-one—he’s got surprisingly broad shoulders under his dark hoodie. But his rider—Jensen checks the app again, it’s Jared—wants to go to an address on campus and Jensen does not date undergrads. No matter how cute. He doesn’t want to deal with the potential conflict of seeing a hookup in a class he’s the TA for.

Jensen came to the university over a year ago as a grad student, so he never lived in any of the dorms here, but he knows his way around the area.

“Campus, right?” Jensen still says as a way of a conversation opener.

“Yeah,” Jared says. “Last year though. As soon as the semester is over, I am out of the dorms.”

Jensen makes a face, remembering his own freshman year. “Yeah. I don’t know who came up with the idea, but sharing a tiny shoebox with a stranger is really not my idea of fun.”

“I mean, I get that, but it’s really not so bad.” Jared sounds almost chipper. “My roommate’s actually pretty awesome—well, he’s insane, but in the awesome kind of way—so we’ve been living together for years. And it’s nice not to have to take care of an entire house with all the bills and stuff.”

“If you can afford dorm rent, sure.”

“Oh yeah. I got a scholarship, so I’m okay.” Jared says, but doesn’t elaborate. Athletic maybe? He has the build for an athlete. His body would also fit pretty well into a super suit, though their school doesn’t have a big super program.

“But I totally get not liking the dorms. Do you go to college here, too?”

Jensen was about to ask why Jared wants to move out of the dorms if he likes it so much, but Jared’s question distracts him.

“Yeah. I’m in bio.”

Jared’s quiet for a moment, and Jensen checks the rearview mirror to see him chewing on his bottom lip. “Undergrad or grad student?” Jared finally asks.

“Grad student. I do cell biology,” Jensen says and wonders about Jared’s question.

But Jared just grins. “I thought you were too old for a standard undergrad, but lots of people go to college later, so I didn’t want to assume. And I’m not saying you look old either,” Jared hurriedly tacks on. “You look very hot! I mean, young, you look _young_! Not, like _young_ young, but—” Jared buries his face in his hands and mutters something that sounds like _oh God, shoot me now_.

Jensen laughs, can’t help it. It’s not the first time someone hit on him in his car, and Jensen knows he’s got a pretty face. He’s not particularly happy about that, it attracted the wrong kind of interest in the past, but it’s different with Jared. Jared is just so adorably flustered and since they’re stuck at a red light, Jensen doesn’t feel bad watching him in the rearview mirror.

“I’m so sorry,” Jared says, emerging from behind his hands. “It was a long night, and I tend to word vomit when I’m tired.”

“No problem. I’m flattered, really.”

“Yeah?” Jared looks up at him, eyes wide and hopeful. And boy, those puppy dog eyes should be registered as an official super weapon right there.

Which is Jensen’s only excuse why he says “yeah,” with a smile instead of shutting Jared down right there. Because he doesn’t date undergrads, especially not if they’re his customers; he doesn’t really date, period, and Jared seems way too nice to be the one-and-done kind of guy. Or for Jensen to be done with him after just one time.

The light turns green, well, probably turned long before Jensen noticed, but it’s late and there’s no one on the road behind him. He presses down the gas pedal and keeps heading to Jared’s dorm.

“Thanks for the ride,” Jared says when Jensen stops in front of the large brick building. The rooms all have tall windows and in the ones where the lights are on, Jensen can see bunk beds, desks, wall posters of bands, movies, and superheroes.

“You’re welcome.”

“This is a really cool car, by the way,” Jared says. “Impala, right?”

“Sixty-seven,” Jensen says and doesn’t bother hiding the pride in his voice. “Restored her myself.”

“Cell biology and mechanics.” Jared whistles. “You’re the whole package, right?”

Jensen forces himself not to make one of the many package puns popping into his brain, because really, he doesn’t flirt with his riders. Or undergrads.

Jared hesitates for a moment, waiting for Jensen to, what, continue flirting? Return the compliment? Jensen doesn’t know, but he’s not going to do any of those things.

“Right, of course,” Jared mutters and drags a hand through his hair. Jensen catches a nasty looking scrape at his wrist, stretching over to the side of his hand.

“Hey, you okay?”

“What?” Jared looks at him, then seems to remember his hand. He laughs. “Oh, yeah, just a scratch.”

It doesn’t look like just a scratch, but Jensen has witnessed enough embarrassing injuries from parties that he’s not going to press.

“Alright. Just tell me your tetanus shot is up to date.”

“Don’t worry, the university makes all undergrads get their shots,” Jared says and he’s sounding chipper again. “But I appreciate that you care.”

“I don’t—” Jensen starts to protest until Jared flashes him a bright, dimpled smile, and Jensen forgets what he’s protesting against.

Jared licks his lips, then he smiles again, a little smaller this time, and gives Jensen another lethal dose of his puppy dog eyes. “Maybe I’ll see you around again.”

Jensen keeps sitting there, like an idiot, while Jared walks over to the dorm building, carrying his backpack in his uninjured hand. Jensen only catches a glimpse of his ass through the passenger side window, but it’s enough to make him swallow. Even though Jensen detests the whole superhero hype, he wouldn’t mind seeing that ass in spandex.

“Have a good one,” Jared says over his shoulder. “And thanks again, Jensen.”

“You too,” Jensen says, but Jared’s already through the door.

Oh well. That’s that. At least he thinks so.

It’s not.

**TWO**

The second time Jensen picks up Jared is three weeks later. He hasn’t exactly been thinking about him, but he hasn’t forgotten him either.

“You again,” Jared says, sounding delighted.

“Yeah. It’s a good thing you’re back.”

“Oh?” Jared asks and his smile is flirty. It’s fucking cute.

“I think you left this in the car.” Jensen bends over to the glove box and takes out the animal shelter keychain he’d found the morning after Jared’s ride.

Jared’s eyes light up. “Oh thank God, I thought I’d lost it. Thank you!”

Their fingers brush when Jared takes the key chain from Jensen and the brief contact zings through Jensen’s entire arm. He’s not used to touching people and it shows.

He quickly pulls back and starts the car.

“Did you adopt a dog from them?” Jensen asks when they’ve both been quiet for a short, uncomfortable time.

“No.” Jared makes some serious sad eyes in the rearview mirror and Jensen wants to hug him and make it better. “I’d love to, but not in the dorms, so I volunteer there. Still get to walk and cuddle the dogs.”

“Anyone special?” Jensen asks it jokingly and Jared laughs.

“Actually, yeah. If she’s not adopted by next summer, I’m getting her as soon as I’m out of the dorms.”

So that’s the reason Jared wants to leave dorm life. A dog is valid, Jensen thinks. He’s more of a cat person himself.

“What about you?” Jared asks.

“There’s a stray cat in my neighborhood that wants to move in with me,” Jensen says.

“Have you been feeding it?”

“Yeah. Big mistake,” Jensen says, even though he doesn’t really mean it. “But he’s kinda mangy looking and missing half an ear, so someone needs to take pity on him I guess.”

“Definitely.”

They’re at Jared’s dorm before Jensen knows it.

“So,” Jared says, apparently unwilling to get out of Jensen’s car just yet. “Please tell me I’m your last customer. It’s super late.”

“Nah, I have another hour or so.”

“You like burning the midnight oil?” Jared asks dubiously.

“I don’t mind. And I work night shifts at the lab, but there isn’t much to do when you don’t have to change samples, except do boring paperwork and stare at the test tubes.”

“So who’s doing the paperwork if you’re driving around town?”

Jensen grins. “Me, tomorrow in my advisor’s even more boring undergrad lecture I have to sit in because I grade for him. That way I can drive while I wait for the experiments to run.”

Jared laughs, then abruptly sobers. “You guys don’t work with animals, right?”

“What? No, of course not. I just work with cellular development.”

Jared’s face says that he doesn’t really know what that is, but he just switches track to another question. “So who’s your advisor then? Just so I can avoid his super boring lectures.”

“Professor Morgan,” Jensen says. “He’s pretty cool and a good lecturer actually, I just hate to grade for biochem.”

Jared makes a face. “Yeah, chemistry is not my strong suit. I barely survived Chem 101 my first semester.”

“Not everyone can be a super scientist.”

“As long as you don’t turn into a mad scientist.”

It hits a little close to home, but Jensen still raises his spread hands, taps the tips of his fingers against each other and stares at Jared through the rearview mirror.

Jared laughs, bright-eyed and dimpled, and really, Jensen needs to stop flirting. It’s just so easy with Jared.

Jensen clears his throat. “Well, I really should see if I can pick up another rider…”

“Oh, yeah, of course.” Jared blushes high on his cheeks. “Sorry about that. Have a good night. And thanks for keeping the keychain.”

“Yeah, of course.”

Jared smiles and then gets out of the car. After the torn-up hand last time, Jensen can’t help checking Jared over, but the kid seems fine. His ass especially, in his dark jeans and his blue hoodie rucked up to his waist. His small waist, so small in contrast to his wide, wide shoulders.

Jared struggles a little with the door to the dorm, but that doesn’t have to mean he’s injured again. Or maybe it does.

Jensen shakes himself like a wet dog and grabs his phone to tell the app he’s done with this ride and ready for another call.

This will be the last time he sees Jared and it’s better this way. Because really, how regularly can this kid hang out in that nasty part of town?

It turns out, a lot.

**THREE**

The third time Jensen picks up Jared, Jared still looks _fine_ , but no longer fine and unharmed. His clothes are dirty, there’s a tear in his jeans at his knee, and he’s carefully holding his arm close to his body as he gets into the car.

“You alright?” Jensen asks.

Jared nods. “Oh yeah. I’m just a little clumsy.”

It’s a bullshit excuse if Jensen has ever heard one, but it’s not his business. Really. But they’re in the shady part of town again, and Jensen knows he needs to let it go, he really does—

“So, embarrassing party injury then?”

Jared looks up, startled. “What?”

“You know.” Jensen waves a hand around. “You’re at a party, you do something dumb, like a one-handed keg stand or something like that and you get injured and then don’t want to tell anyone.”

Jared laughs, and nope, Jensen did not hallucinate those dimples. “That's weirdly specific. You ever attempt a one-armed kegger?”

“It would have worked if Chris hadn’t dropped my leg because he was checking out a girl.”

Jared laughs again and Jensen keeps his eyes on the road, but the sound still makes him feel warm inside.

“No one-legged kegger,” Jared says. “I’m really just that clumsy.”

“Uh-huh. Out here. In the shadiest part of town.” Jensen looks in the rearview mirror to find Jared looking at him guardedly. “Not that it’s any of my business.”

“It’s really not,” Jared says, but he sounds happy. “So why are you asking?”

Jensen clears his throat. “No reason. Just making conversation.”

He wants to think it’s because Jared’s behavior is getting really suspicious, and Jensen knows something about late night activities in shady parts of town, but he can’t deny that he’s curious because he thinks Jared’s cute. In fact, too much of his interest probably stems from Jared being very attractive. And witty. And stubbornly persistent. And Jensen needs to stop thinking about that.

“Uh-huh. You know, the first time I met you, I told you I think you’re hot.”

Jensen can’t help but grin. “I remember.”

“Anything you want to say to that?”

Jensen sobers. “No.”

Silence.

Jensen checks the mirror. Jared’s still looking at him, trying to puzzle him out. “If you’re seeing someone, or not actually interested in guys, then—”

“No,” Jensen says. “No, it’s just… I don’t really do the whole dating thing.”

“Oh.”

Another silence.

“Sorry,” Jared says and he sounds contrite. “I shouldn’t have… I just thought I saw you looking, but I guess I read you wrong, so... sorry.”

“No, that—” Jensen cuts himself off, because what is he going to say here? I think you’re cute, but you’re an undergrad and besides I don’t date due to very specific, very disgusting reasons that I’d rather not tell you so you don’t run away screaming? Yeah, no.

“I was looking,” Jensen still says. “I just don’t plan to do anything about that.”

Jared nods. “Fair enough. If you change your mind, let me know.”

Jensen doesn’t respond, just drives Jared back to the same address as the last two times. Jensen watches him carefully when he grabs his backpack and gets out of the car and this time, he’s not watching his ass. But Jared seems to be able to walk well enough despite the other injuries and even shoots Jensen a friendly smile.

Still. Three times in the bad part of town. Hoodies and backpacks. Weird injuries. Jared’s definitely up to something. It could be anything from illegal parties to drugs even though Jared’s never drunk or high. Dealing maybe? Jensen hasn’t seen anything big on the news, so super-related stuff should be out of the question at least. Which is good because Jensen is not getting caught up in that shit again.

**FOUR**

The fourth time he picks Jared up, Jensen has been spending the last few nights driving around close to the bad part of town. It means fewer rides, but he’s actually not that hard up for money. He’s got a scholarship for his PhD, grading for his advisor, and the extra hours in the lab cover all his expenses. But he’s got the time and driving around in his car is better than being stuck in the lab with his unanswered questions and failed experiments all night.

So he can take the loss for a couple of nights and see if Jared will need a ride again. After the last time, Jensen didn’t think Jared was involved in any of the super stuff, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that there’s something off about Jared’s late night adventures. Three times in six weeks and those were only the times Jensen picked him up. There’s no telling how often Jared was out there. And Jensen always picked Jared up in the seedy part of town, and every time Jared’s looking a little worse for wear. Like he goes out looking for fights. He wears hoodies and looking back Jensen is pretty sure Jared always had a black backpack with him.

Jensen couldn’t help but think that Jared maybe is a part of the super scene after all. So even though Jensen swore he was done with the whole supers and villains business long ago, he got out his old frequency scanner and listened. For the past couple of nights, it’s been quiet, but one night the cops found a low level criminal tied up and beaten up in an alleyway. And when they called it in to the precinct it became obvious it wasn’t the first time this happened. So someone has been running around a nigh catching bad guys.

It can’t be the Metal Zinger, the super watching over their city, he’d leave his signature rebar X on the tied-up guys. The cops speculated that a new super is in town, but they don’t seem to know who it is. Jensen has a hunch and he’s furious. Jared’s putting himself in danger, without any support, getting home with a fucking rideshare service, and he’s lucky Jensen’s the one picking him up. Jensen got out of the game years ago—well, had never really gotten into it in the first place, but people in the game still know about him, and no one in town would touch his old black chevy.

Which is a good thing considering that tonight Jared has a bruise high up on his cheek bone that’s going to be a spectacular shiner the next day and he’s walking very slowly.

“Okay, no one’s that clumsy,” Jensen says when Jared is safely in his car with the doors locked.

Despite his injury, Jared seems to be in a good mood because he’s smiling when he says, “So maybe I got into a little fight tonight.”

“You got into a _little_ fight?” Jensen asks incredulously. And really, he shouldn’t care this much.

“You should see the other guy,” Jared says, cocky, like he doesn’t have a giant bruise on his face.

“Seriously?”

“Okay, look, we were just hanging out and there was this guy, and he was harassing this girl and he was pretty drunk, so I decided to do something about it. I’m pretty tall, so most people back off, but he didn’t and we got into a little fight. But I won!” Jared sounds incredibly pleased with himself. “So, you know, you have nothing to worry about.”

Jensen glares at him in the rearview mirror.

“You know,” Jared says slowly, “if you have no intention of asking me out on a date, you don’t get to scold me for my nighttime activities.”

Jensen supposes Jared has a point, but he also doesn’t buy his story.

Jensen scans Jared’s outfit again, nondescript bluejeans and a dark hoodie, and yes, he’s got a backpack with him. Jensen would bet his ass that there’s either a costume or a mask in there. Jared just has to be part of the super circuit. Probably a burgeoning superhero or maybe even a villain? Jensen discards the villain idea immediately, because Jensen has a hunch that Jared’s one of the good guys. Besides, he’s never seen dimples like that on a supervillain.

But Jensen is done with the super scene. Not getting involved ever again.

“Just don’t get yourself killed,” Jensen says.

Jared smiles.

Jensen focuses back on the road.

When they’re in front of the dorms, Jared hesitates. “Look, I would really appreciate it if you wouldn’t mention this to anyone.”

Jensen’s not surprised that he’s right about Jared, but he’s glad that Jared is talking to him about it.

Jensen sighs. “What are you doing going out without support?”

“What?”

Jensen leans back in the seat, waves at his car. “You call an Uber to drive you home. Which means you don’t have operational support.”

Jared’s mouth opens and closes.

“Well, you are a super, aren’t you?”

Jared’s silence is answer enough.

If Jared’s going out there alone, it’s not hard to guess why. Their city already has a superhero protecting them, but the Metal Zinger is getting on in years and might retire soon. Then it’s always the same thing that happens, young superheroes trying to prove themselves before they’ve graduated, before they’ve gotten sponsors and a support network. They’re all trying to break through and take over the spot by trying to build a base of support in the city. Sometimes, it goes well and sometimes, it doesn’t. Judging by Jared’s cuts and bruises, he’s just barely making it.

“So what if I am?” Jared finally asks.

“Well, you’re not very good at it, are you?” Jensen shoots a pointed look at Jared’s banged-up face.

Jared glares. “I still won. Everybody gets hurt sometimes.”

Some supers can heal or are indestructible in the first place. Jared’s apparently neither, which is worrying when he’s running head-first into danger without back-up.

“You get hurt a lot. And while I can drive pretty fast, I’m not a paramedic.”

“Well, I don’t need a paramedic.”

“Why don’t you just wait until you graduate?” Jensen asks. “You said you’re on a scholarship, I assume it’s because you’re a super?”

Jared nods.

“Well, there you go. Enjoy your free ride, train and hold off on fighting bad guys until there’s actually someone watching over you.”

Jared snorts. “Well, I’m sorry if the bad guys are not waiting for me to graduate. Besides, do you know how many new supers there are and how few cities pay enough to support them? If I want to break in, I need to do it now.”

“Well, you’re not getting in by sneaking around at night with no media exposure.” Jensen watches the news, he would have seen if Jared was making waves.

“That’s not—what do you know about making it as a super?” Jared bites out and opens the car door.

Well, that hurts. Just because Jared is wrong doesn’t mean that Jensen has any business telling him what he’s supposed to do about his powers.

“Jared, wait.”

Jared freezes.

Jensen sighs. “I’m sorry. It’s none of my business. And I promise, I won’t tell anyone.”

“Thank you.”

“Just be careful.”

Jared grins despite their argument. “Always am.”

Jensen snorts and Jared practically bounces out of the car, before he flinches and walks a little more slowly.

Jensen’s pretty sure Jared’s going to get himself killed, but there’s nothing he can do about that.

Well, he can make sure that Jared gets home safe at least. That’s not getting involved. That’s just… doing the job he’s doing anyway. Driving people places.

Right.

**FIVE**

The fifth time Jensen picks Jared up, he doesn’t have to wait for the call.

 _Tristan Tornado_. The news reported on the new superhero two days after Jensen figured out Jared was a super. A young man stopped a purse snatcher from getting away with an old lady’s possessions. It’s ripped from every super origin story and if Jensen didn’t know Jared is working alone, he’d think some PR company set it up. The guy who’d taken the thief down hit him with a blast of wind that made the thief stumble, enough time for the guy to run up to him on long legs and knock him down. The guy had his hood up, is unrecognizable in the shaky cell phone footage the regional news outlets are showing, but Jensen caught a strand of shiny brown hair flying out from under the hood and he was embarrassed to also recognize the tight ass and the broad shoulders.

The chief of police made a statement, saying that in the past few weeks, they’d gotten to see the handiwork of a guy who calls himself Tristan Tornado and assume this is him again. They hadn’t given the information to the press before to protect the new super who wasn’t officially registered yet. Except that now apparently, Tristan Tornado also jumps in to save people in broad daylight when he’s not in uniform.

The excuse about protecting the super is bullshit, everyone loves new super stories, so Jensen wonders what’s up with the police. But no one else seems to wonder about that.

The newscaster is charmed and social media comments are mostly positive. Jensen rewatches the footage four times and gets more irritated every time. Jared’s power seems to be either some elemental air control or some kind of shockwave thing. Nothing’s visible on the footage, so he can’t be sure. The only thing he does know is that Jared’s powers aren’t very developed. He still has some time to grow into them; most supers don’t reach their full range of powers until their mid-twenties, and right now Jared doesn’t look particularly powerful. Jared could have been pulling his punches during the day in a fairly busy downtown street, but it doesn’t appease Jensen thinking of Jared running around at night, fighting bad guys and maybe even supervillains with a little wind power.

So every night, Jensen goes out in his car, whether he has a shift in the lab or not, and drives around the neighborhood where he usually picks up Jared. And really, he should not be this involved, but dammit, Jared needs someone watching his back. Jensen knows how much trouble it can be to try to do this on your own and he won’t let Jared go through this shit alone.

But Jared doesn’t show up. Jensen doesn’t pick up any other riders either.

Jensen keeps bringing his frequency scanner, too. He’d gotten it what feels like a lifetime ago, when he still thought he had a shot.

After another uneventful night, he stops at a twenty-four-seven diner for a cup of coffee to tide him over until his shift at the lab ends at six.

Next to him at the counter, there are two police officers and they’re talking about none other than Tristan Tornado. Jensen surreptitiously leans in closer, but he only catches bits and pieces of their conversation. From what he can gather the police mostly like Tristan Tornado and his work—they have no idea he’s just a kid leaving crime scenes in an Uber—and while it’s kind of cute that he keeps beating up low-level criminals, unfortunately there’s not always enough evidence to arrest them. The two officers seem split on whether they want him to keep going or whether they want him to stay out of their business.

So Jared’s doing sloppy work. Great. Jensen is not happy.

Especially not when he’s doing one last round before going back to the lab and notices a tall figure limping out of an alley. He hits the brakes and is out of the car before Jared notices him.

“Jensen?”

There’s blood on his mouth and chin and he’s just barely standing upright.

“Fuck, Jared.” Jensen catches him, shoulders up under his arm to get him into the car.

“I didn’t call for a ride,” Jared says, face scrunched up in confusion. “I would remember that.”

“I was in the neighborhood,” Jensen grumbles and maneuvers Jared into the passenger seat. If he’s going to pass out, Jensen wants to be next to him to catch him.

Jared groans in pain when he sits down.

Broken ribs are Jensen’s best guess.

“You know,” he says trying to rein in his anger, “if you would take a break and actually heal between playing hero you wouldn’t be so banged up right now.”

Jared glares at him. “I’m not _playing_ , I’m putting actual bad guys away.”

“I don’t know, looks more like they’re putting you away.”

Jensen slams the door shut and surveils the neighborhood. He can’t see or hear anyone, but just in case, he listens for a while longer. Then he walks around the car and gets behind the wheel. Jared’s still glaring at him.

“I’m fine. I _won_.” He starts crossing his arms in front of his chest, but then stops. “And you have no idea what you’re talking about, Mr. Cell Biology.”

Jensen bites his tongue and starts the car.

Jared deflates. “I’m sorry, that was mean. But really, Jensen, I know what I’m doing.”

“And what is it that you’re doing?”

“Catching bad guys.”

“Why not call the police? At least to have a little more manpower.”

Jared shakes his head. “I can’t.”

“Why not?”

Jared bites his lower lip, chews on it as if he debates telling Jensen the truth.

“I haven’t told anyone about you yet, have I?” Jensen asks. “Look, you need to talk to someone, might as well be your trusty getaway driver.”

“You’re a grumpy Uber driver who judges me for my nighttime activities and refuses to take me on a date even though you’re clearly into me,” Jared shoots back.

“You,” Jensen starts but doesn’t know how to continue. This kid’s got balls.

“Just tell me,” Jensen eventually says.

Jared sighs. “I’m pretty sure there’s a supervillain behind this. I brought this to the police weeks ago, but they didn’t believe me. Said it didn’t add up. That I was too inexperienced. That the pattern was all in my head. So I'm investigating on my own.”

Ah. The behavior of the chief of police makes a lot more sense now, why the police have been keeping Tristan Tornado a secret.

“Yeah, well the police are not putting your bad guys away because you don’t leave them with enough evidence.”

“What—” Jared’s jaw works. “How do you know that?”

“I overheard a conversation. And I have this.” Jensen points at the frequency scanner in the footwell.

“Why is—” Jared’s eyes go wide. “Why do you have that?”

“I told you, I know a couple of things. Now—”

“Well, clearly not enough. I know there’s something going on and if the police would just take me seriously….” Jared falls silent, his shoulders hunched up.

Again, Jensen has the irrational desire to comfort Jared. He thinks wind is really not Jared’s only super power.

Jensen clears his throat. “I saw the video of you catching the purse thief.”

Jared’s eyes light up. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Jensen hesitates, can’t bring himself to scold Jared. “So. Tristan Tornado,” he says instead.

Jared makes a face. “Not the name I would have chosen. But, uh, one night the cops almost caught me and asked for my name and I just had the don't-give-them-your-real-name mantra in my head so I gave them my second name. They added the Tornado.”

Jensen looks at him in surprise. “You haven't picked your super name yet?”

Jared shrugs sheepishly. “I can't really decide. I was hoping that if I get a sponsorship, the PR people are going to help with that. My roommate keeps suggesting windbreaker but…”

Jensen laughs. “The insane one.”

“Yeah.” Jared smiles fondly. “Chad’s… Unique. Anyway, I didn't really want to settle yet because I didn't plan on any of this, but when no one took this seriously… What was I supposed to do, just let him get away with it?

Jensen wants to kiss him. This is what supers are supposed to be about, not the whole nasty Hollywood-esque PR machine but this. Saving people, hunting supervillains.

Still. Jared’s putting himself in danger way too early. “I get that, but Jared, if the wind power when you caught the thief is all you can do, you should really wait until your powers are more developed before you start hunting supervillains.”

That brings Jared’s glare back. “Okay, one, I can do way more than just a little wind, and secondly, what do you even know about any of this?”

Jensen’s this close to telling Jared. To tell him that he wanted to become a super, too. That he did the whole super summer camps, super scolarship thing. That the circuit chewed him up and spit him out before he ever got anywhere. And where he almost ended up if his advisor, Professor Morgan, hadn’t shown him that there was another way to deal with his powers.

But if Jensen does that, Jared will have questions. Questions Jensen doesn’t want to answer.

“Look, you pick up things here and there,” Jensen settles on saying. “And people in my field deal with super powers enough that I know my way around supers.”

“But you don’t know what it’s like to be out there and fight.”

“Why is it so important to you? Why can’t you wait until you graduate and have people who support you?”

Jared shoots him a confused look. “I have the power to help people. And like I said, I wanted to wait. But when I caught wind of what’s going on and the police didn’t take me seriously…. I even tried telling the Metal Zinger when he came in at the beginning of the semester to meet the new freshmen, but he didn’t take me seriously either. Thought I was just another baby super who wanted to have his big breakout.” Jared huffs. “But something is up, and if no one else will deal with it, then I will. Even if it means a couple of bruised ribs.”

Jensen sighs. “You’ve got heart, Jared. But that’s not gonna save you.”

“No.” Jared smiles then. “But I don’t need a savior when I have a trusty getaway driver.”

Jensen snorts. Jared has no idea how true that is, but Jensen’s not going to tell him. He’s already far more involved in this than he should be.

“Any chance that you’ll be more careful?” Jensen asks when they reach Jared’s dorm. “That you’ll stick to surveillance and gathering evidence instead of fistfights?”

Jared raises his eyebrows. “Any chance you’ll own up to your interest in me and go on a date with me?”

“Goodnight, Jared.”

Jared gives him an insolent grin. “Night, Jensen.”

Fuck. Jensen is so screwed.

**FIVE + ONE**

The sixth time Jensen picks up Jared, shit hits the fan. Quite literally.

Jensen hasn’t stopped driving around with his frequency scanner. He still has no intention of asking Jared out on a date—so he’s been daydreaming about Jared’s dimpled smile, so what—but that doesn’t mean he can’t look after him.

It’s just a random Wednesday night. Nothing out of the ordinary. It’s been quiet for days. Jensen almost considers taking on another ride. Maybe Jared’s finally taken his advice. But then Jensen’s scanner crackles.

It’s not the police frequency.

“We have eyes on the target, boss.”

Jensen hits the brakes before he drives out of range of the scanner.

“Excellent. Make sure he doesn’t get away this time, I want to have a few... _words_ with our little windbreaker.”

The guys laugh while Jensen goes cold all over. He would recognize that voice anywhere. He hits the tracking button and a moment later, the little radar screen lights up, the blinking dot just a few more blocks into the warehouse district. Jensen guns the engine, not caring that they’ll hear him coming. Jared is in way over his head and he needs more than a getaway driver now.

Jensen stops the car a block from the signal, makes sure he has the right building and then gets out of the car. He can’t see anyone, but he can hear sounds of fighting from inside the big warehouse. There’s a strong gust of wind and screams before Jensen sees a window break and debris fly out of it and clatter noisily to the ground. Then another scream and this time it sounds like Jared.

Jensen starts running.

When he pulls open the side door, he comes face to face with two guys dressed in black clothes and heavy boots. He punches the first one out cold and then presses a hand to the second one’s face and reaches deep for his powers. He hasn’t fought with them for years, never pulls them out unless it’s to experiment on them in the lab, but now he lets the dark goo well from his skin and cover the guy’s face, making him gargle and pass out when it leaks into his open mouth and nose. The putrid stench of mouldy earth fills the air and it brings back memories from long ago. In the lab, Jensen’s always masked up and can avoid the disgusting smell his own body produces, but not out here.

Jensen fights the memories that come with the stench of his ooze and slowly walks through the boxes and barrels stacked on the side of the warehouse.

He can hear someone speaking, a nasal, narcissistic cadence giving an honest-to-God villain monologue. Well, some things never change.

Jensen creeps around a big box and goes cold at the sight in front to him. Jared’s tied to a chair. Powers are often tied to hand movements, especially in young supers. Jared’s hands are certainly bound tightly to the armrest of the chair. He’s dressed in jeans and a hoodie, no sign of a costume or a mask, but Jensen spots his backpack a little off to the side. Jared’s defiantly staring up at the Mad Writer. Jensen always hated his nickname, it was pretentious even for a supervillain.

The Mad Writer is not one of the more imposing figures, he’s short and slim, his hair combed back in a douchy wave and even the new beard can’t make his face remarkable. Because he doesn’t have the build for skin tight spandex or leather, he wears a dark cape covered in a wild pattern of letters over a gray suit. Even supervillains have PR consultants, Jensen doesn’t know what went wrong there.

“... so you see, I can empathize,” he’s saying to Jared, who doesn’t look like he’s buying any of this.

But since the Mad Writer hasn’t reached the end of his speech yet, is probably just launching in his own tragic—actually more like pathetic—villain origin story, Jensen has some time to scout the scene.

“Why, when I first started out, people laughed at me. Didn’t take me seriously, just like you.”

“I can’t imagine why,” Jared mutters.

Jensen’s glad to see Jared still has his wits about him, then he focuses his attention on the situation. He counts nine more guys who are apparently working for the Mad Writer.

“Of course you can’t,” the Mad Writer says. “Look at you, with your boy-next-door smile and your broad shoulders. The girls must just love you!”

Jensen keeps making his way through the boxes to pick up more of the henchmen guarding the perimeter. Supervillains rarely team up; they don’t like anyone stealing the spotlight, so Jensen doesn’t have to worry about dealing with anyone other than regular humans. And the Mad Writer is really not high-profile enough for a highly trained mercenary army, which the likes of the Red Queen and the First Blade often travel with.

“Everyone just loves you, right? When you developed your powers, there was never any question that you’d become a superhero, right?”

“Yeah, because I’m not evil,” Jared spits out.

Jensen takes out two more guys, enveloping them in gooey tendrils shooting from his hands. Thankfully, the warehouse already smells strongly of old stale air and turpentine, which should cover up the new stench.

“Yes, well,” the Mad Writer says almost regretfully. “Not being evil is not the only requirement for becoming a superhero. You need strength. And you my boy, are weak.” The Mad Writer stalks off to his henchman waiting with a box that probably holds the big, feathery quills.

Jensen has a hard time holding in his snort. The Mad Writer really only needs a mixture of water and vinegar to act as a conduit of his power, but he chooses to dye it blue and pretend he’s writing out someone’s fate in ink. He’s really just a second-rate hypnotist, but he’s all about the pretentious showmanship.

Thankfully, the Mad Writer has a very limited range for his power which is why he usually lets his goons do the dirty work and prefers his opponents tied up to deal with them. But Jensen has never done well with that.

The Mad Writer raises his quill. “What should I do with you, _Tristan Tornado_ , hm? Write you out of existence?”

Jared blanches. “You can’t do that.”

He really can’t. But he can do some damage. Jensen lets another tendril of goo build in his hand, then he takes aim and shoots it across the room to the guy guarding the other side of the warehouse. He shoots another and another, taking out two more guys before the others catch on. Thankfully, the Mad Writer is too caught up in the climax of his villain spiel to notice.

“No. But I can send you back to Kansas. Like, in a Tornado. Get it, Dorothy? You belong in Kansas, not in Oz.”

“Oh, haha, very clever,” Jared says, actually rolling his eyes.

“Cleverer than you!” the Mad Writer spits out. “I am going to squish you like the little bug you are. You think you can play hero, blow a little wind at me, but I am a supervillain! You’re nothing but a kid with his head full of dreams of fame and girls!”

Jared glares at the Mad Writer. “Okay, first, what’s your obsession with girls? Oh wait, no girl ever wanted to go out with you, because you’re a fucking creep!”

Jensen is impressed with Jared’s spunk. He can’t even be mad that he’s making the Mad Writer angry because making him angry is the best strategy to throw him off his game. Jared’s superpowers might not be well developed, but he knows how to handle a showdown with a supervillain.

The Mad Writer sputters angrily.

“And I’m not doing this for the fame, I’m doing this because you keep scamming people out of their money.”

“I am not _scamming_ , I have an elaborate, genius, evil plan, I—”

“You’re nothing but an ordinary thief and you let your goons do all the work.”

“Silence!” The Mad Writer is panting, his eyes gleaming crazy enough to truly earn him the villain moniker. “You know nothing! I am a genius! And you’ll see, oh yes, you’ll see.”

The Mad Writer raises his quill as two guys show up in Jensen’s peripheral vision, running straight at him. If the quill and its conduit liquid connect with Jared, who knows what will happen. He certainly won’t teleport Jared to Kansas, the Mad Writer’s not powerful enough, but he might be able to make Jared jump out of a window, hurting or even killing himself in the process.

Jensen has a split second to decide whether to defend himself or save Jared, then he raises his hand and shoots a goo ball at the Mad Writer’s quill.

The guys connect with Jensen and tackle him to the ground. He hits the hard concrete with a painful thud, and for a moment he can’t breathe. His chest aches, but he doesn’t have time to catch his breath because the guys are on top of him. They hold his hands to the ground, which would be useful if his hands were the only part of his body he could use. But Jensen’s entire body is one disgusting weapon. He lets goo well from his neck and arms, soak through his henley and the guys’ hands slip and then they pull back with sneers of disgust. Jensen just follows them, lets the goo form long spidery tendrils and covers them in more of his goo until they’re motionless, senses overwhelmed by the stench and the paralytic properties of the goo. They’ll be fine, but like a skunk attack, they’ll remember this encounter for days. Not even tomato juice can save them.

“What is going on here?”

Jensen steps out of the shadows. The Mad Writer only has two guys left.

Jared’s staring at Jensen open-mouthed, but Jensen can’t look at him. Can’t see the realization and disgust on his face, can’t watch Jared’s nose scrunch up at the smell and the sight of Jensen covered in his dark, slimey, stinky goo.

“Well, well, well. This is a surprise.” The Mad Writer smiles when he recognizes Jensen. “I never thought I’d see the Dark Ooze again.”

Jensen flinches at the name. It’s a parody of what he wanted to be, reminiscent of what the other kids at super camp teased him with. It’s who he almost became when he was young and angry, watching his dreams fall apart because people were superficial assholes and Jensen didn’t fit the mold of what a super should be like. Sure, he had the face for it, but as soon as he used his powers, people ran away screaming.

“Yeah, well.” Jensen shrugs. “I live here.”

“I didn’t know you were active anymore,” the Mad Writer says, his hands empty and quill-less, but the guy who's holding the box with more of the conduit-drenched feathers is still hovering close by. He looks worried now that most of his fellow henchmen are out for the count and only his boss is left. Clearly, the Mad Writer is not someone who inspires a lot of confidence or loyalty.

“I’m doing mostly research these days,” Jensen says. “Mad scientist stuff, you know.”

He chances a look at Jared who stares at him in horror, undoubtedly believing Jensen is a villain. Covered in dark slimy goo, Jensen can’t exactly blame him.

“Then I’m sure you won’t mind.” The Mad Writer gestures at Jared. “If I take care of this little nuisance.”

“Actually, I do,” Jensen says. “A lot.”

The Mad Writer raises his eyebrows. “You’re kidding me.”

“No. I’ve come to kick you out of my town.”

“Your town? Have you finally joined our side?”

Jensen snorts. “No.”

The Mad Writer laughs. “Really? You still dream of joining the super assholes? You know, even if you were to defeat me here today, which is obviously not going to happen, but even _if_ , the supers are never going to accept you. You’re never going to be a hero.”

“I’m not doing this for the fucking publicity or because I want to be famous, asshole.”

The Mad Writer draws back. Then he looks at Jared, still tied to the chair with a confused expression. “Aw, did you get a little _boyfriend_? That’s _adorable_.”

“He’s not,” Jensen starts, but stops. It really doesn’t matter. And he’s not going to let the Mad Writer distract him so he can regroup.

“Oh, he didn’t know.” The Mad Writer is back in full villain speech mode.

Jensen shoots a ball of goo at him, but the Mad Writer ducks out of the way.

“No, no, no, Ooze, this is too delicious. Your little baby super here, he didn’t know you were one of us!” The Mad Writer claps his hands. “Oh, this is just delicious. How about this?” From somewhere out of his cape, the Mad Writer quickly pulls a gun and points it at Jared. “You tell your boy here who you really are, or I shoot him full of ink bullets and then make him throw himself out of a window.”

Jensen raises his hands. Again he thinks the Mad Writer is overselling his abilities, but people covered in the liquid that manifests his telepathic abilities have acted like they were under a hypnotizer’s spell. Mostly it’s harmless and people are able to snap out of it if it puts them in real danger. The Mad Writer usually makes people steal things for him or give him access codes. But Jensen can’t gamble Jared’s life on that. And now that Jared has seen him, knows half of the truth already, it doesn’t matter anyway.

“Well,” the Mad Writer prompts.

“Alright, alright, I’ll tell him.”

“Make it good, Ooze.” The Mad Writer grins. “You know how I enjoy a good story.”

And well, he does. Jensen knows he does.

He swallows his pride, swallows anything resembling dignity or hope and starts talking.

“I was born with superpowers. They showed up on the middle school screenings, so I did the whole super camp thing. But when my powers started manifesting…” Jensen raises his hand, lets a tendril of goo rise up like a charmed snake. Jensen looks over at Jared, who’s watching him with wide eyes.

“The camp counselors tried to help.” Jensen lets the goo tendril fall to the ground. “There’s really nothing you can do about the smell, so they tried to turn me into a mysterious, science-y hero. The camp PR team suggested the super name The Primordial—The First Line of Defense.” Jensen smiles sheepishly. “I was already a science nerd back then and I loved it.”

“But so did his camp mates,” the Mad Writer jumps in dramatically. “In the worst possible way.”

Jensen suppresses an eyeroll, but continues. The more the Mad Writer gets invested, the more distracted he’ll be. And since Jensen knows he was mocked as a child, he’ll get enthralled by Jensen’s past.

“Prime Ordeal was one of the nicer nicknames I got.”

“Let me guess.” The Mad Writer raises his hands, miming a sign. “Prime Slime, oh, no, no, wait, Stinky McPrime.”

Shit, he really sucks as a writer. “More like Grime Oozial, but there were so many I don’t remember.”

“Grime Oozial, way too obvious,” the Mad Writer mutters.

Jensen inches a little closer.

“Anyway, I still got a scholarship for college, but when they figured out they couldn’t neutralize the smell, they cut it. I had to take out student loans and work two jobs just to stay enrolled.” He dreads the day when he’ll be done with grad school and have to start paying off his debt, but there’s no lucrative sponsorship in his future. Jensen doesn’t have to fake his bitterness. “And well, that’s when the Torturer came to me.”

Jared gapes. “The Torturer?”

The Torturer’s ability to inflict pain on someone while merely turning his milky white gaze on them is feared all throughout the country, even though he really isn’t one of the more active villains. He doesn’t care all that much about money and riches, he just cares about the pain.

The Mad Writer has sobered. Even he is smart enough to fear the Torturer.

“He told me to lean into it,” Jensen says, remembering the Torturer’s disconcerting white eyes. “He said, ‘People think you’re disgusting? Lean into it. It’s only going to make you more scary, and in the end, they’ll respect you more. They’ll never love you, but fear, that’s even more powerful.’ And well. If your reputation is bad enough as a supervillain, you can make a ton of money with merch on the dark web even if you don’t steal a lot of stuff.” Jensen shrugs. “Looking at the mountain of debt waiting for me, that was a pretty appealing thought.”

The Mad Writer harrumphs. “They really exaggerate that as a source of income.”

Jared shoots Jensen a look, winks at him and then loudly laughs at the Mad Writer. “Just because you don’t make any money…”

Perfect timing.

The Mad Writer turns towards Jared, almost frothing at the mouth with anger and Jensen takes the opening Jared created. He shoots two goo balls at the surprised henchmen, hits one of them in the face and the other one straight in the chest, but Jensen has to go after the Mad Writer next.

“You shut your mouth!” The Mad Writer stabs the gun at Jared. “You pathetic, weak—”

Jensen raises both hands, palms facing the Mad Writer, gathers two big globs of goo and with all his strength propels them forward. They hit the Mad Writer straight in the back and he stumbles and falls to the ground. From his position in the chair, Jared kicks out a leg, hitting the Mad Writer in the chin and sending him flat on his back.

Jensen sends out a long tendril of goo to wrap around the Mad Writers hands and pries the gun from his hands. As long as the tendrils are still connected to his body, Jensen can control their movements and he expands them and wraps them around the Mad Writer from neck to toe.

“Oh God,” he groans out. “I’m gonna throw up. Ooze, I swear, I’m gonna throw up and choke on my own vomit, do you want that? You don’t want to murder me, right?”

He’s such a pathetic piece of shit. With the tip of his boot, Jensen rolls him onto his side. “There. Recovery Position. You’ll be fine until the cops get here.”

“No,” the Mad Writer whines. “Ooze, you’re going to regret this, I swear, I will find you and—”

“Shut up or I’ll gag you.”

Silence.

Jensen checks over his shoulder for the rest of the Mad Writer’s crew, but whoever could still walk has apparently hightailed it out of the warehouse. No surprise there, Jensen doubts the Mad Writer is a good boss.

Only one thing left to do then. Apprehensively, he turns back to Jared who is—who is smiling at him. Jared is smiling at him.

“Listen, not that I’m opposed to trying out bondage at some point, but not here, and not with him as an audience.” Jared nods his head at the Mad Writer.

Jensen opens his mouth, then closes it again because he has no comeback for that. He’s still trying to compute that Jared is apparently not totally appalled by Jensen’s gooey side. So Jensen unties Jared from the chair.

Jared stands and then pulls Jensen into a deep kiss. His hands are on Jensen’s face and his neck, sliding through the goo residue, apparently not caring at all that Jared’s shirt and pants are getting drenched in even more goo.

Jensen wants to protest, but Jared’s mouth is hot and insistent and the long, solid line of Jared’s entire body presses against his front and Jensen goes from surprised to aroused in about two seconds. He’s still riding the adrenaline high from the fight and this is the perfect way to ride it out.

Eventually the Mad Writer’s muttering breaks through the haze of the kiss.

“...unbelievable, really, the potential, a villain-hero romance. Of course we’ll have to kidnap the super, force the Ooze back into the life, maybe send him on a killing spree when his precious hero boyfriend dies, God, what a wonderful tragedy, what a—”

Jensen lifts one hand and shoots another batch of goo in the direction of the voice and there’s blessed silence again. Until police sirens fill the air.

“I should get out of here,” Jensen says and reluctantly pulls back from Jared.

“You?” Jared asks. His cheeks are flushed and his lips red and Jensen just wants to go back to kissing him, but really, there’s no time.

“Yeah. I mean, you caught the Mad Writer, that’s going to get you a foot in the door for sure.”

Jared snorts. “I didn’t catch him, you did. Also I wouldn’t even know how to explain the ooze.”

Right. Of course, Jared doesn’t want to be affiliated with that.

“My car’s a block away. Since I assume you still need a getaway driver.”

Jared grins. “You know it.”

Jensen turns, then flinches as pain shoots through his side. During the fight with the Mad Writer he completely forgot about his bruised ribs and now there’s also a dull throbbing pain in his hips. He limps a few steps before Jared is by his side.

“Whoa, hey, let me help.”

“What about you?”

Usually Jared’s the one who gets hurt after all.

“Nothing hurts. Except for my wounded pride.”

“Well, I told you you needed support.”

“Yeah, yeah, rub it in, why don’t you.”

“Oh, I plan on it,” Jensen says darkly. Jared deserves a serious talking to.

“Really?” Jared asks and his voice is flirty again.

It takes Jensen’s pain-addled brain a moment to catch up, then he snorts. “You’re incorrigible.”

“Yep.” Jared says, obnoxiously happy while they limp down the street. “Now give me your keys, you’re in no condition to drive.”

Jensen groans, but digs his car key out of his pocket. “Do not bang up my car.”

Jared deposits him more or less gently in the passenger seat, then starts the car. Jensen is pleased that Jared’s a good driver with a smooth hand on the wheel and an even foot on the gas pedal.

“Where to?”

Jensen gives him directions, but otherwise he concentrates on healing himself. He doesn’t have much practice, but if he focuses on the goo welling inside of him, it takes care of injuries. Jensen has only recently started to understand how this part of his body works and which of his cells it influences, so he’s still not sure of his healing abilities and whether he’d be able to use them on other people, but for now, it’s good enough.

By the time they reach his slightly rundown apartment building, he feels much better. He doesn’t put up a fight when Jared manhandles him inside though. Jared’s large hands feel good on his body and Jensen fully expects Jared to be gone as soon as he’s sure that Jensen is fine.

“I need a shower,” Jensen says once they’re standing in his tiny living room.

Jared is curiously looking around, but Jensen doesn’t have many possessions or decor. He used to have memorabilia and trophies from super camp, but those aren’t really good memories. He has a loveseat, a coffee table and a TV, all his furniture bought from yard sales and secondhand stores. There’s a desk crammed into the corner of the living room, but there's only his laptop, a bunch of post-its, a chocolate bar wrapper and three coffee cups. Jensen didn’t exactly expect company.

“Right, shower,” Jared says eventually and sniffs himself. “No offense, but it does smell a bit.”

“No shit.”

“It’s more like mould.” Jared sniffs again. “And something… almost sulphuric?”

“Stop sniffing it,” Jensen snaps and Jared stops.

“Alright. So, shower.” He smirks crookedly. “Wanna share?”

Jensen blinks. “What?”

“Yeah, okay, that’s a little fast maybe. But come on, Jensen, I like you, you like me, you just saved my life which was fucking awesome by the way, and if this is why you don’t date, well now I know, so, you know.” Jared flails. “After that kiss I was kinda hoping a date would be on the table now. I mean, you did kinda risk your life for me.”

“Yes, but—Jared did you not hear what I said in that warehouse?”

“Of course.” Jared grins broadly. “And it was fucking awesome how you played into the whole tortured villain thing.”

“What?”

“You know.” Jared gestures widely. “The whole I’m-your-boyfriend-and-I’ll-hate-you-because-I’ll-think-you-almost-became-a-villain thing.”

“I did,” Jensen says.

“What?”

Jensen swallows. “I did almost become a villain.”

“No, you didn’t,” Jared immediately shoots back.

Jensen just stares at Jared.

Jared rolls his eyes. “Oh come on, you might be a grumpy bastard, but you’re not actually evil, Jensen.”

“Did you not hear what the Mad Writer said?”

“Yeah, but you never joined them, did you?” Jared shrugs. “With the whole black goo thing of course they’d try to recruit you. Besides, you’re smoking hot and the villains always try to recruit attractive people. But you didn’t seriously think about it, did you?”

When Jensen doesn't answer, Jared’s expression gets worried for the first time.

“Jensen, you didn’t, did you?”

Jensen takes a deep breath. “Yeah, I did.”

Jared pales. “What?”

“I wasn’t lying when I told you about my past,” Jensen snaps. “I’m not actually that good of an actor, okay. People were fucking mean and the supers made it abundantly clear that I could work background support, but I’d never get a spot. I’d never become a superhero. I’d never get a sponsorship, I’d never get the money to pay off my student debts. My abilities might be useful, but they’re fucking disgusting and no one wants to deal with that. Marketability trumps usefulness every time. And the villains…`” Jensen lets out a harsh laugh. “I thought I could do the whole The Hood thing, you know. Steal from some rich corporate assholes, give to the poor. But I couldn’t deal with the violence. And then Professor Morgan approached me.”

“Your advisor?” Jared asks, brows scrunching up.

Jensen nods. “He’s got powers too, but just like mine, they’re not really marketable. There aren’t really a lot of superhero applications for a venomous bite. So he went into research. And I always liked science, so it wasn’t a stretch. We work on cellular abnormalities in super mutations so that hopefully one day something good can come out of this.”

“Jensen, I’m so sorry.”

“What?”

Jared’s looking at him like he just killed Jensen’s puppy. “Jensen, I—I didn’t take your story seriously, and I’m so sorry. It’s so awful what happened to you.”

Jensen shakes his head. “I tell you I almost went darkside and you _pity_ me?”

“No, I don’t pity you! I mean look at you, you’re making the best out of a crappy situation—”

“Are you really calling my stinking goo a ‘crappy situation’?” Jensen interrupts him.

“But those people were wrong to treat you like that,” Jared finishes undeterred. “And you’re nothing like the villains. You were amazing back there, a real hero.”

“Jared—”

“Jensen. You’ve been trying to save me ever since you figured out I was a super. You _found_ me tonight. Don’t tell me you weren’t looking.”

Jensen slumps down on his desk chair.

Jared points a finger at him. “I knew it! And you said yourself, you wanted to do The Hood thing and didn’t like the violence. My God, Jensen, your story is like the blueprint for every villain origin story and you _didn’t_ become a villain.”

“I thought about it,” Jensen says.

Jared regards him for a long moment. “And now you feel like shit about it.”

Jensen makes a well-duh face.

Jared smiles. “ _You know what makes a good person good? When a good person does something bad, they own up to it. They try to learn something from it and they move on._ ”

Jensen blinks, trying to figure out why the words are so familiar. “Are you quoting Ron Swanson at me?”

“Yes.” Jared positively beams at him. “Now, will you go on a date with me?”

“Jared…”

Jared patiently waits for him.

Jensen tries to unscramble his thoughts, process that Jared knows, his deepest, darkest ugliest secrets and doesn’t care; thinks it’s not a problem.

“We need to talk about—well, all of this.”

Jared nods. “Probably.”

“I don’t really date undergrads,” Jensen says.

“I’m a junior,” Jared says. “I’ll be a senior in the fall, so I’m basically almost done. And I will never, ever take a class in your department.”

Jensen snorts. “Fine. But I also don’t pick up customers.”

“Well, today I drove, so technically I picked you up.”

And Jensen’s out of excuses. This might go horribly wrong, especially if Jared wants to become a super, but right now, Jensen can’t be bothered to care. He wants Jared in a way he hasn't ever wanted anyone and there’s no reason left to deny him this.

“Okay.”

Before he can say anything else, Jared leans in and kisses him. His lips are warm and soft and Jensen is so startled his body reacts on autopilot, leaning into the contact and kissing him back. Just like the last time, Jensen has no defense, can’t stop sinking into the addictive feeling of Jared’s mouth and Jensen adds kissing to the list of Jared’s superpowers, right next to his dimples and his puppy dog eyes.

The kiss goes on forever, a soft slide of lips against lips, until Jared flicks his tongue against Jensen’s lips and heat shoots through him. He opens up and deepens the kiss, gets his hands into Jared’s shiny hair. Jared moans into his mouth and then straddles his lap.

Jensen bought his desk chair when he first moved to town at a yard sale, and it’s an old monster made out of sturdy oak and padded with a hand stitched seat pad. It’s fairly low and Jared’s legs are long enough that he can still put his feet on the ground. The delicious weight that settles in Jensen’s lap is not heavy enough to be all of Jared.

He towers even more over Jensen than he does standing and Jensen leans back and tilts his head up. Jared’s holding on tight to Jensen’s shoulders and pushes in closer, pressing his hips forward right over Jensen's dick.

And Jensen realizes that he’s hard, just from kissing Jared, and Jared’s right there, Jensen’s still riding the adrenaline high and if there’s a reason why he should stop Jared, he can’t think of it.

Jensen groans into Jared’s mouth and pushes his hips up while Jared bears down on him. The friction is almost enough, almost perfect, but they’re both wearing jeans and even though Jared’s apparently fairly bendy when it comes to spreading his legs—and Jensen will need to explore that more once they’re in a bed—Jensen still can't get Jared close enough.

He pulls Jared closer, lets his hand roam over his back, under his hoodie, finally touching Jared’s warm skin.

Jared makes a pleased sound, drags his mouth away from Jensen’s mouth, over his chin and then to his neck. He sucks just below Jensen’s ear and Jensen turns his head to give Jared more access, his hot mouth sending sparks down Jensen’s spine. Jared slowly kiss-bites his way down Jensen’s neck, every contact a hot pulse through Jensen’s body. Jensen slides one of his hands down Jared’s back, into the gap between his jeans and the swell of his ass. Jared presses in closer, like he wants more and Jensen slips his fingers under the waistband of Jared’s boxers, along the round and firm swell of his ass.

“Fuck.”

“Later,” Jared mutters into his neck.

Yeah, of course. They’re moving way too fast, Jensen should not presume—“Sorry.”

“What are you apologizing for?” Jared asks, mouth still not really detaching from Jensen’s skin and his hips continuing to grind down on Jensen’s cock, making him leak precome ino his briefs.

“We can—we should probably, not now, I mean, we just—” It’s impossible to string a coherent sentence together so Jensen hopes Jared gets it anyway, even if Jensen’s hands never stop roaming Jared’s skin.

“Fuck that,” Jared says and the words shoot a thrill through Jensen.

“I’ve wanted to do this for weeks.” Jared grips Jensen’s face with both hands and kisses him, again and again. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you, even when you said no. And tonight, fuck, Jensen, you saved me, I thought I was done for and you saved me. And we—you—took down a real supervillain.” Another kiss, sucking on Jensen’s bottom lip until it’s swollen and tingles. “Like, I wasn’t wrong, my investigation paid off. Even though I fucked up, I was right and you saved me, and fuck, Jensen, I just—I just want to do this.”

And Jensen gets it, the rush, the adrenaline and their weeks of flirting in his car. “Yeah. Yeah, okay, this is, let’s do it. Whatever you want, let’s do that.”

“Whatever I want?” Jared asks and grinds down hard.

Jensen can feel Jared’s hard cock through two layers of denim and he wants him naked so bad. “Whatever you want,” he pants out.

Jared pulls back, kisses him again, wet and open, and then slides off of Jensen’s lap and pushes his knees apart.

“What…”

“You know, I don’t think I thanked you yet,” Jared says, and sinks to his knees between Jensen’s legs.

Dumbly, Jensen stares down at him.

“For saving me,” Jared says with a wink. Then he reaches for Jensen’s pants. “I've been staring at you sitting in your car for weeks now,” he says while he opens the top button and pulls down the zipper. “And everytime I just wanted to sink down in the footwell and do this, so now that I finally have you here…” And then he opens Jensen’s pants and licks at his cock over the material of Jensen's briefs.

“But we should shower, the smell...”

“No time, clothes off is enough,” Jared says, draws back and pulls off his hoodie and shirt and throws them across the room. His skin is smooth and tan and Jensen finally gets to see the strong muscles Jared's usually hiding under his hoodies.

“Fuck, you’re gorgeous.”

Jared grins up at him, then gestures at Jensen.

Jensen pulls off his henley and undershirt. Hungrily, Jared watches him. Then he says, “Lift up,” and Jensen raises his hips enough for Jared to pull down his pants and underwear.

Jensen buries a hand in Jared’s soft hair, doesn’t pull though, lets Jared set his pace while he goes back to exploring Jensen’s cock, this time without any material between them.

Jared’s mouth is hot around Jensen and he sucks him just right, starts with the head, pressing his tongue to the underside and then slowly works his way down, taking Jensen a little deeper every time.

Jensen gets lost in it, the heat and the pressure, Jared’s hand stroking the base of Jensen’s cock with one hand. Jensen can’t wait to return the favor, but Jared’s other hand has disappeared where Jensen can’t see it. From the way Jared’s arm is moving he’s pretty sure Jared’s jerking his own cock, and fuck, Jensen wants to see. But he also can’t tear his eyes away from Jared’s wide mouth wrapped so tightly around Jensen’s cock.

The pressure is building and Jensen feels his balls draw up. He wants to last longer, draw it out, but they’ve been flirting for weeks, and the adrenaline from the fight is still coursing through his veins and he doesn’t have a chance in hell to draw this out.

“Jared, I’m close.” Jensen’s voice is so rough he almost doesn’t recognize himself. “You’re so fucking good, I’m gonna come, I—”

Somehow, Jared manages to suck him harder and Jensen groans, sinks deeper down in the chair. He's so close, almost there, and Jared keeps jerking Jensen’s cock, keeps jerking his own dick. Jensen’s orgasm tears through him and he comes violently all over Jared’s fist and his own stomach. Completely wiped he goes lax in the chair, using his last energy to keep stroking Jared’s hair.

“Fuck, Jensen.” Jared rests his head against Jensen’s thigh, his right arm moving furiously and then he moans and tenses.

They’re both still, Jared leaning against Jensen’s leg, making small happy noises and occasionally kissing whatever patch of skin is in front of his face while Jensen softly cards a hand through his hair.

“So, I gotta ask.” Jensen says when he’s halfway managed to catch his breath.

Jared turns his head to look up at Jensen.

“Do you thank everyone with a blowjob?”

Jared laughs, his hot breath puffing against Jensen’s softening dick. “No, you’re special. I told you, you’re a hero.”

Jenne snorts. “Tonight doesn’t change anything. I’m no one’s hero.”

“No, you are.” Jared tilts his head. “But you’re my hero. And I don’t share.” He smiles with a lot of teeth.

“Oh, possessive, are we?”

“A little?” Jared says it innocently, making his puppy dog eyes.

“You really need to get those eyes registered as a weapon,” Jensen grumbles.

Jared laughs, bright and sunny and then stands up, unfolding his long, lean body right in front of Jensen’s eyes. Jared offers him a hand and Jensen takes it, lets Jared pull him up and against his chest.

“Shower now? And then we could get something to eat?” Jared looks over at the clock on Jensen’s wall. It’s five-thirty. He bites his lower lip. “Breakfast maybe? As in a breakfast date?”

Helplessly, Jensen stares up at Jared’s smile, half-cocky and half-hopeful and all dimpled sunshine.

“Yeah, okay.”

Jared positively beams at him and Jensen thinks that getting back into the super business just this once actually was a pretty good idea.

**Author's Note:**

> You can come find me on tumblr [here](http://ashtraythief.tumblr.com/) and on twitter [here.](https://twitter.com/ashtraythief) My ask box is always open.


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